Hibiscus plant named ‘Fireball’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of winter hardy hibiscus plant named ‘Fireball’ is the result of a unique hybridization. This new and distinct cultivar is characterized primarily as to novelty by its extreme cold hardiness to Zone 4, its large, rich red flowers of an extremely overlapping nature, its very deeply lobed, palmate leaves wit a purple cast, its vigorous and uniform growth habit, its floriferous nature from midsummer until frost, and its overall improvements over ‘Lord Baltimore’ (unpatented) in refinements.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICTION Hibiscus hybrid. BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The new plant of this invention is the result of a unique hybridization,with the breeding achievement being evidenced in the outstandingcombination of characteristics exhibited by this new and distinctHibiscus plant, which include:

(a) Refined, ‘severely-cut’ leaves of three to five lobes withred-veining and a purple “blush” to the green coloring which complimentsthe landscape;

(b) Very large flowers that are well-posed on the plant and outstandingfor their deep red, thickly-textured petals with dark burgundy centersand an extremely campanulate nature;

(c) The plant being very floriferous with flowers that stay open atleast one full day;

(d) The plant being medium-sized, but vigorous with compact and uniformbreaking action which gives it unique landscape utility; and

(e) The plant being so hardy that it can consistently withstand wintertemperatures of at least −30 degrees Fahrenheit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Fireball’ was the result of a 40-year breeding program. Its ancestryincludes Hibiscus coccineus, Hibiscus militaris and Hibiscus moscheutos.More specifically, the plant resulted from crossing two Flemingseedlings, the pink-flowered ‘Avalon’ (unpatented) seedling (Hibiscusmilitaris×H. coccineus) with an H. moscheutos seedling named ‘12 A’(unpatented). Neither seedling is patented. The seedling which mostnearly met all of the above named standards was selected.

This new plant first bloomed in the summer of 1985 and was selected byDavid Fleming and Gretchen Zwetzig on David Fleming's property inLincoln, Nebr. Asexual propagation of the plant by cuttings and rootdivision has shown that the unique and distinguishing features of theplant are faithfully transmitted from generation to generation andappear to be fixed.

Since its origin, the plant has bloomed from midsummer until frost,while exhibiting the aforementioned distinctive characteristics. Thishardy Hibiscus plant greatly contributes to the market with its sheerbeauty and utter refinement, its compact growth habit, its enhancedresistance to disease and insects, its stability through extremes inrain and drought, and its extreme hardiness.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The flower, bud, foliage, and growth habit of the cultivar are shown inthe attached illustrations.

More specifically, the drawing is a close-up of the flower and the leaf.

The colors are as true as is reasonably possible to attain inphotographic illustration of this type. The colors illustrated may beslightly off due to light reflectance.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

What follows is a detailed description of the new cultivar. The specificcolor descriptions are in accordance with the Dictionary of Color (Maerzand Paul), while general color recitations are consistent with ordinaryAmerican color terminology.

‘Fireball’ has not been observed under all possible environmentconditions. It is to be understood that the phenotype may varysignificantly with variations in environment such as temperature, lightintensity, and day length, and day length, without, however anydifference in genotype of the plant. The following botanicalcharacteristics and observations are gathered from the plant when grownunder normal conditions in Lincoln, Nebr.

THE PLANT

Parentage:

Seed parent.—Pink-flowered ‘Avalon’ seedling: H. militaris×H. coccineus(not patented).

Pollen parent.—‘12 A’: A large-flowered ‘Big Red’ seedling (anonpatented H. moscheutos).

Origin: A selected seedling from a stated cross.

Type of plant: Hardy, herbaceous perennial.

Classification: Hybrid Hibiscus plant.

Propagation: Relatively easy to propagate; holds its distinguishingcharacteristics through successive cuttings and division.

Size: About 3 feet tall and about 3 ft. wide.

Form: Symmetrical annual growth from perennial roots.

Flowering capability: Blooming not only from the apexes but frommidbranch, as well; the plant regenerates blooms continuously.

Habit: Upright and uniformly branched.

Growth: Vigorous; medium and compact.

Hardiness: Hardy to at least −30 degrees Fahrenheit.

General health: Plant is very disease and pest resistent; sturdy throughexcessive drought, rain, or wind.

Propagation: Relatively easy and fast rooting.

Foliage:

1. Arrangement.—Alternate.

2. Shape.—Juvenile: Variable, 3 to 5 deeply lobed leaves with relativelysmooth margins with some serrations; with acute apices.

3. Size.—Mature leaf (petiole base to apex): Length is about 6½ inches(16 cm), width is about 5¾ (15½ cm).

4. Color.—Young leaves (upper side): 2 L, page 71, PLATE 24; “Blush” toleaf: 1 L, page 133, PLATE 56. Veins: 11 L, page 135, PLATE 56.Underside of leaves: 5 E, page 67, PLATE 22.

5. Surface texture.—Glabrous (to semi-glabrous on lower leaves).

6. Petiole length.—About 3 inches (8 cm).

7. Petiole color.—11 L, page 135, PLATE 56.

Stems: The stems are stout at the base, becoming more slender toward theapices; coloration is consistent with the petiole.

THE FLOWER

Blooming period: Profuse from July until frost.

Flower diameter: Large; about 9½ inches, (24 cm).

Borne: Singly in leaf axils, from midpoint of stems upward.

Bloom duration: Individual bloom lasts at least one full day.

Form: Campanulate; petals are also very overlapping.

Bud:

1. Length.—About 2¾ inches, (7 cm) on the day before opening.

2. Color.—6 L, page 35, PLATE 6.

3. Surface texture.—Glabrous.

4. Duration.—One to two weeks.

Corolla:

1. Petal character and dimensions.—Campanulate and very overlapping.Length is about 4¾ inches, (12.5 cm). Width is about 5¼ inches, (13 cm).

2. Coloration.—Medium red petals with a darker, more burgundy-coloredeye zone of apx. 2½ inches, (7 cm). (a) Red petals: 6 K, page 33, PLATE5. (b) Veination in petals: 6 L, page 35, PLATE 6. (c) Eye Zone: 6 L,page 35, PLATE 6.

3. Texture.—Smooth.

4. Substance.—Thick.

5. Shape.—Campanulate and very overlapping

Reproductive organs:

1. Staminal column.—Stamen along basal two-thirds. Stamen length: About2½ inches, (6.5 cm). Stamen color: 6 K, page 33, PLATE 5. Pollen color:3 J, page 43, PLATE 10.

2. Style.—Terminates upper one-third of staminal coumn. Stigmatic lobecolor: 1 L, page 117, PLATE 47.

Calyx: Connate at the base; about 3½ inches (9 cm) in length.

Stipules: None.

Epicalyx: Whorl of bracts.

1. Shape.—7 to 10 slender, sword-shaped bractlets.

2. Length.—About 1¼ inches (3 cm).

3. Color.—1 L, page 53, PLATE 15.

Penduncle:

1. Length.—About 1¾ inches, (4 cm).

2. Strength.—Stiff and sturdy.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

This plant, as a hybridized hardy Hibiscus, is valuable to the landscapemarket for its improvements in thicker-textured and uniquely colored andshaped flowers, refined severely-cut leaves with a purple “blush”,all-around vigor, good breaking action, and adaptation to extremeenvironments, including the ability to consistently survive wintertemperatures of at least −30 degrees Fahrenheit.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus plant, as hereinshown and described, characterized by its deeply